


Yet Another Teashop AU

by dontpanicgetatowel



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Teashop, Fluff, I'm Bad At Tagging, M/M, Mutual Pining, The Jasmine Dragon (Avatar), Ukulele probably, a little bit of angst but not that much, but still PTSD so be warned, skateboard, wow there's actually a tag for that
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-04
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-02-21 17:32:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18707065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dontpanicgetatowel/pseuds/dontpanicgetatowel
Summary: A new school for Zuko and a new guy in Sokka's school. What a coincidence!It's mostly a story about friendship and empathy I'm trying to write here.





	Yet Another Teashop AU

**Author's Note:**

> Hey so this is the first fic that I'm planning on finishing (I've got my draft and all, I know where I'm going) and there'll be a playlist for each chapter! Wow, how original!
> 
> Here's the first one :  
> Complete Control (The Clash)  
> A Cool Cat in Town (Tape Five)  
> Song for a future generation (The B-52’s)  
> Puff the magic dragon (Peter, Paul and Mary)  
> Pieces of what (MGMT)  
> Maybe Tomorrow (Stereophonics)  
> New Slang (The Shins)

His cereals are becoming squishy now. But uncle is still talking. So he loses a bit of his temper.

“Uncle, it’s gonna be okay! I _know_ how to deal with school! I’m gonna be okay!” 

It’s true that uncle’s worries are justified considering past experiences, but he’s almost another person now, he’s more confident, more connected with his emotions, more indulgent to himself… He’ll be okay, he knows it. He’s sure of it. He has to be.

“Zuko, I know that, he concedes, but you cannot blame a parent for worrying a bit! It’s not a lack of trust in your abilities, nor is it rational! I want you to enjoy your school, and our life here…” He pauses, and looks intensely at his tea for a few seconds. Uncle always does that when he tries to find out what the one he’s talking to is feeling.

“I’m sorry if I’m tainting your mood with my foolish concerns, I don’t want to stress you out on your first day…”

“Then don’t! I know where it is, my tires aren’t flat, I’ve got my helmet…” He’s actually counting on his fingers to check.

“Do you have the letter for the school nurse?”

Zuko rolls his eyes: “I was gonna say it if you hadn’t cut me! I have everything, and I already checked everything twice so…” He puts a hand on his hip and nervously arranges his hair with the other. “Okay? I have to go now anyway if I don’t want to be late.”

“Have a wonderful day, Zuko, and tell me all about it when you get back!”

Zuko’s face softens and he hadn’t realised it was so tense. He smiles and looks at Iroh. 

“Of course I will. Bye, uncle!”

 

He grabs his helmet and his bag, shoves the door with his shoulder and runs down the stairs, his bike awaiting him next to the bins. After closing the gate, he kicks the ground and rushes downtown. He’s actually living downtown, but at the edge of it, more like the cultural downtown. He has to go through the commercial downtown, then through a residential area to make his way to his new school. 

This is a small, and lovable city, always rushing but in the good way. In the way that there are always people outside, and open shops and cafés, but the inhabitants aren’t tense or mean. People are cosy, relaxed, and he cannot ask for more. This town’s a warm blanket on his fretful little brain.

And this town has _character_. All the houses and little buildings in all the different neighbourhoods are extremely personal. It’s colourful, and diverse, and expressive. Every owner of one of the small gardens is proud of it and you can _feel_ the care given. 

 

And now the school’s coming into view. His throat does something funny and he has to swallow the insecure feeling nagging his brain.

It’s now time to take a deep breath and get off his bike. He has to keep his eyes neutral and look at a point just above all the high schoolers’ heads. The eyes that aren’t his are starting to converge on the left side of his face with matching gaping mouths. _No, that’s exaggerated_. But people _do_ stare and some look twice. Some even have the nerve to look scared. 

_Be indulgent, this is common for you, but an exceptional situation for everyone else. Maybe you would be surprised yourself if you came across someone who had a similar mark on their skin._

Had his uncle said that at one point? Had he formulated it better? Either way it makes him take a step back on this situation. He keeps looking through everyone and stops by the nurse’s office to give him the letter, then goes looking for his locker –number 4.26– before heading to his first lesson.

 

 

Sokka shows up five minutes before everyone else in the classroom for his first algebra lesson of the year. He settles in the second row, and silently wishes for this year to be as good if not better than the others. He will ace every class he’s taking and get his diploma with compliments of all his teachers and then he can go to the engineering section he dreams of and _there’s a new student._

There’s never a new student here, where does this one come from? _Spirits_ , it’s difficult _not_ to look at him. This guy looks like a hot, mysterious pirate. Actually he looks like Albator. Flowing hair, slim but muscular, sharp jaw and even the classical injured eye. But he doesn’t have the eye patch. This scar is _huge_ … It seems like someone ka-me-ha-me-ha’d his face. Honestly it kind of adds to the beauty and mysteriousness of the guy. Scars are _hot_.

Hot pirate sits in the third row, two tables to the left from Sokka. Maybe it’s time to stop staring now.

Gradually, the classroom fills itself with students and the lesson begins -Hot pirate’s name is Zuko apparently. Algebra is one of Sokka’s best and favourite subjects with physics. So he’s absorbed by it and doesn’t think about Albator until he sees him heading out to the corridor at the end of the class. 

 

It turns out Zuko has another lesson in common with Sokka on the first and second hour of the afternoon. Biology. He tries to sit a little closer to him this time and succeeds: there’s only one table separating him from Zuko on his right so he can throw little glances at him during biology. 

But _someone_ is misinterpreting these glances as directed towards _her_ and answers with a quizzical look. Sokka whispers bluntly “I’m not looking at you Suki!” So she looks to her right, to Sokka again and mouths “Who is it?” Sokka shrugs and whispers “A new guy… Zuko, I think?” Suki briefly eyes Zuko a second time and it’s her turn to shrug. 

_Haha! You fool, I know his name perfectly well_ he thinks while turning his attention back to the whiteboard.

 

After two hours of biology Suki is looking at the ceiling, arms just dangling on each side of her chair like she’s waiting for something to fall and end her misery. Well this way Sokka has a good view on his dreamy pirate. It seems like he has graceful hands too, and the scar is even larger than Sokka thought at first. It’s jagging his hair line on the left side of his face and covering his left ear. He has a blood-red shirt that seems tailored because _damn_ he looks fine in it.

When the bell rings Suki rises from the dead and they walk to their French lesson. Zuko is walking a few meters ahead of them. Sokka pauses to put his biology book in his locker and _ugh, that asshole again._

Jet is swaggering towards Zuko with two of his henchmen. 

_Oh, please don’t let him bewitch you, Albator_ … Sokka’s little dreams are slowly scattered to the ground because really, how can anyone _resist_ Jet’s manipulative ass at a first encounter? Suki sees him pout and hits his back to show her support. He chokes. _She’s becoming stronger every month for fuck’s sake._

But it doesn’t go as anyone sensible would have expected to. Even if Jet is as _charming_ as usual Zuko stays quite cold to him, even if he doesn’t outright push him away. It’s kind of a prowess that they part with the same amount of power over the other as before this first conversation.

Maybe he stayed stiff because the first thing Jet asked about him was how he got the scar. To be honest, Sokka almost burst out laughing when Zuko answered with “That’s what happens when you don’t put sunblock.” 

That pirate has wit.

 

When the classes are finished, Sokka waits in the car with Suki, discussing the legacy of the kazoo kid. Katara is there first, and Aang and Toph follow a few minutes later.  
Sokka turns on the engine and they’re on their way to Toph’s house. Aang is the first to ask “So how was your day?” Suki chuckles and declares that Sokka found a wild emo to call his sugar daddy.

“You snitchy bastard! I told you it was a secret!” he says with an overly offended voice.

“Who is it?” Katara’s voice is almost bored and she doesn’t even look up from her phone. 

Sokka doesn’t even have the time to answer because Suki’s too fast. “His name’s Zuko and he’s in our biology class. He’s the new guy.”

This time, Katara looks up. “You mean the _new guy_?” she puts her hand on her left eye while she says that. Suki nods and Aang says “Oh him? Everyone in my class is calling him Sifu Hotman!”

Sokka doesn’t get it. 

“It’s because he’s a senior and everyone thinks he’s hot”

“It’s a weird nickname, though” Sokka is still confused.

“Haha, yeah, weird…”

Toph intervenes with her usual tone “You _started_ it, idiot!”

“Yeah, but everyone followed!”

They’re getting annoying, but Toph’s mansion is now into view. They will surely change the subject of the conversation after she’s home, _right_?

“See you tomorrow, assholes” She opens the trunk of the car to take her cane and heads home. 

After dropping Suki off, they drive through the downtown area before arriving to their neighbourhood. Aang can apparently not keep his mouth shut for one minute. 

“So… Is it true you want call him your… sugar daddy?” 

“Aang you don’t even know what that means” Sokka says, hoping he sounds more detached than annoyed.

“Yes I _do_!”

Sokka arches an eyebrow at the rear-view mirror but Aang is not looking at him. He’s glancing at Katara who glances back, rolls her eyes and whispers to his ear. Aang looks embarrassed then his eyes widen and he looks at Katara then back at Sokka.

“You want to call him your Sugar Daddy?!” His voice is much more panicked than the first time.

“Katara! What did you tell him?!” She just smirks and says “Eyes on the road.”

Sokka grumbles and ignores them until the end of the ride.

 

Just as he’s stopping the car in front of their house, Aang tells Katara with red ears that he can’t wait to see how theatre club is then shouts a goodbye to the both of them. When he’s two houses away Sokka can’t refrain himself from singing “Seems like _someone_ did theatre club for another reaaasooon..”

“Don’t be silly, he’s blushing because I’m older. It can be tricky to have friends who are older sometimes.”

 _Wow_. How can she be so unaware at times yet so observant when it’s to embarrass him?

“Anyway, seriously this time, did you talk to him?”

“Um, no, not yet…”

“Well you should talk to him tomorrow then!”

“… Yeah, I guess…” There’s a pause, then “You know he, like, kept his cool when Jet tried to recruit him or something.” Katara arches an eyebrow, then looks at him and shrugs, making the face of someone who is clearly impressed but tries to look like they aren’t.

 

On Tuesday morning, Sokka is decided to talk to the hot pirate and he’s planning on _not_ making a fool of himself. His first lesson this morning is algebra so there’s no time for the stress level to go too high, he’ll just have to blurt something like “hello, how are you on this beautiful day” and everything’s gonna be alright. 

Apparently Zuko has planned on being earlier than everyone in class today, so Sokka takes a deep breath and walks to the chair next to him.

 

 

“Um, hey, do you mind if I sit here?”

Zuko raises his head and, _oh_ , some cute boy is asking if he can sit beside him.

“Uh, yeah, yeah of course!” The boy looks taken aback. _Goddammit_. “I mean no, I don’t, um, I don’t mind, you can sit here if you want to.” 

_What. An. Idiot._

The guy smiles warmly, sits, and he’s gorgeous. He has that kind of ponytail with the sides of the head shaven, and he has broad, lean shoulders. And his eyes are all you can see as the ice blue contrasts so much with his dark skin. Spirits, he’s _divine_.

“I’m Sokka, by the way…”

And his jaw, it’s so _sharp_. And his _neck_. And he’s… waiting for an answer, surely, isn’t he?

“Oh, I’m Zuko, I’m, uh, yeah I’m Zuko, that’s… that’s my name.”

_Why are you. So. Weird._

Sokka is grinning, and does not seem to be taken aback by Zuko’s extreme lack of basic social skills. So Zuko relaxes a little when Sokka continues to talk.

“So… you’re new here! How do find the town?”

“The town? It’s, um…” _gorgeous, beautiful, lovely_ “It’s lovely” _Just like your cute face_. Zuko blushes. 

_Great_. Well Zuko blushes for the tiniest of things so it was only a matter of minutes. He feels his ears go red, and then his neck, because it can’t just stop at the cheeks, _no_. And when he thinks about the fact that he’s blushing, his blushing can’t just _stop, NO_. It has to _intensify_. Stupid blood vessels.

Sokka chuckles, but it’s not mockery or anything. He seems genuinely amused. So Zuko smiles sheepishly and they continue to talk a little before the start of the lesson. They even continue their conversation in the corridor before parting to go to their next classes.

 

At lunch, Zuko sits at an empty table and opens his book. But he doesn’t finish his page because when he looks up Sokka catches his eyes from across the cafeteria and smiles. Zuko looks behind him but there’s no one. He sees Sokka chuckle and gesture him to come to his table. Zuko _doesn’t_ look scared and gathers all the courage he can, plus his things, stands up and goes to Sokka’s table. 

There are other people at that table and he’s _not_ nervous, no, he’s going to socialize, he’s going to appear just as normal as anyone else would. He holds his breath until he’s in front of the table. Sokka moves to make room for him to sit, then addresses everyone else but keeps his gaze on Zuko. “This is Zuko from my algebra class.”

“And our biology class!” The girl across from him smiles too. “I’m Suki!”

Zuko waves his hand a little “Um, hello!” _Please don’t find me too awkward._

Sokka continues the presentations. The one next to Suki, across from Zuko, is Toph, who’s very little but looks like she would be the one kicking the ninjas’ asses if the group was under attack, then on the other side of Suki there’s Sokka’s sister Katara. The good looks come from their genetics then. She has the same sharp jaw and blue eyes as Sokka. She seems quite tall too, but Zuko can’t be sure as she’s sitting. On the other side of Sokka there’s a… very enthusiastic thirteen-year-old who has _tattoos_ on his head and arms. His name is Aang. _Okay so this is a safe group of friends without any hint of judgement whatsoever_. This is cool. Those tattoos are cool too. He’s not gonna mention them though because he doesn’t want Aang to say ‘What about you’ or something. 

They slowly dive in conversation again and Zuko is proud to say he contributes to it, and it’s thanks to Sokka who always makes sure he’s included in the argument, and who even roars with laughter at a stupid pun Zuko made.

When he heads out of the cafeteria to his philosophy class he’s surprised by how easy it was. He would’ve never thought it was that easy to make friends. _Well, easy, tiger, you talked twice to Sokka and once to everyone else, so_ … Yeah, no need to let the walls tumbling now, it would be better to wait until he can at least tell their names without hesitation. 

But they do seem friendly, and Zuko can see himself becoming friends with them in the future. At least they seem more trustworthy than _this guy._

_Great, he’s gonna talk to me again._

Jet is alone this time.

Jet is weird. He makes Zuko uneasy. He’s very charming and friendly -and smoking hot too, let’s admit it-, but everything rings untrue. He’s playing a character. His smile is an ersatz. It doesn’t mean it’s not a wide smile, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. 

From their first conversation, Zuko has learned a few things: Jet wants him in his little group; Jet is manipulative with his friends -or his bodyguards, no one knows-; Jet wants to know his weak spots. And finally, Jet will or will not, but probably will, exploit every weak spot he finds. 

Zuko doesn’t want people to find his weak spots. Especially not people like Jet.

“Hey Zuko! How are you?” He’s alone this time “You know, our first conversation made me think and I was wondering if you could tell me something?” 

_What is it this time?_ Jet had already asked about where Zuko lived before, where he got the scar, why he left his old town, if he played a sport, and what subjects he took. Zuko had told the usual nonsense about the scar and had stayed evasive on all the other questions. It seemed like Jet wanted to know if Zuko had left his old school because he got in trouble or something.

“I’m fine, what is it?”

“I was wondering about who you met in the school already?” He’s saying this with the attitude of someone making charming conversation about the weather.

_Red fucking flag. Red Control Freak flag._

“Jet, no offense but we don’t know each other yet. All your questions just make me uncomfortable, even if it’s not your intention, ok?”

At that Jet arches an eyebrow and Zuko swears his mask slips for a second. And he has a calculating gaze, just like… _Yeah._

“Oh, I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable, really, I didn’t mean to.” Now he has the classic ‘I’m sooo sorry, I didn’t knoooow’ look. Well, he backs off with the questions now, and the end of the conversation isn’t unpleasant, actually. They part in a casual way.

But when Zuko’s in biology again the comparison is so ridiculously in favour of Sokka that it makes him blush again. Sokka is genuine, without restraint. His eyes close despite him and his head falls back when he laughs. He looks straight into Zuko’s eyes, whereas Jet is always imperceptibly tilting his head to look down on him. And most importantly, Zuko is not on edge near Sokka. 

All of this make him say yes when he offers him a ride home.

“We’re gonna have to wait for Katara and Aang though, they’re at their theatre thing, so they finish half an hour later than us…”

“It’s okay, I don’t mind, I mean… it’s already kind of you to drive me home at all!” 

_Yeah but my bike?_ How can he be so stupid, he won’t be able to go with him and then Sokka won’t want to be his friend anymore and… _Calm down and take a step back._

“Oh, but I came with my bike, is there a way to… I don’t know…”

“Oh, I have straps behind the driver seat, we can attach it on the roof of the car, I still haven’t removed the rack!” 

_See? He’s just perfect, isn’t he?_

When they find Sokka’s car in the parking lot Toph is already there and Suki calls her name to make her look their way. They talk a little about the lessons of today, then about what everyone wants to do later. Sokka wants to be an engineer, Suki doesn’t know but wants to continue biology after high school and everyone laughs when Zuko asks Toph about what she wants to do later. 

“What?” 

Toph chuckles and says “Dude, no wonder Sokka wants to be your friend, you have the same sense of humour!”

Zuko is completely lost. He eyes Sokka with an imploring look. 

“Zuko, you said ‘Where do you see yourself after graduation?’” 

That does not help. Zuko is still lost.

Then Suki looks at Toph then at Zuko and makes a face that says ‘Oh I understand’ and enlightens everyone. “Zuko, I think, maybe, you haven’t noticed but Toph is blind!”

“Oh you didn’t know?” Toph sounded so surprised it made Zuko blush even harder over his own stupidity. How could he not notice she was _blind_? That’s something you should notice about someone you talk with while looking at them in the eyes for at least twenty minutes, right? 

_I think the only solution is PANIC._

“I have… no social skills whatsoever.” The three of them stop for a second then look at him each with different attitudes. Toph is raising her eyebrow with a ‘No shit Sherlock’ look, Suki has a sympathetic smile with a ‘Well, yeah, you’re a bit right about that but don’t worry’ look, and Sokka looks at him (does he?) with a ‘You’re absolutely right but you’re still cute’ look, and he chuckles. 

“You’re absolutely right, but don’t worry, in this group of friends we’re not that skilled either, you know? Especially Toph.” This is answered with a tiny but energetic punch on his ribs. 

“Ow! Toph, you’re only proving my point by doing this!” 

“I know, shut up!” She crosses her arms and pouts and Sokka laughs.

When Katara and Aang arrive Sokka says “Seatbelts on!” and they’re on the road.

They stop at Toph’s… palace first, then at Suki’s house, and then Zuko guides Sokka trough the downtown area to his uncle’s teashop. Aang exclaims “Oh you live in that street? Gyatzo brought me to this teashop this summer, the Jasmine Dragon, it’s really cool, have you ever been inside?” 

Aang talks really fast and can’t stay still in the car for more than a minute. Even if it could be, it’s actually not annoying to Zuko, who’s pleased that he finds his uncle’s shop ‘cool’.

“Um, yeah, my uncle owns it. And we live upstairs, it’s my window here.” Aang seems really interested and even promises to come back with Gyatzo (whoever that is) to have some tea and say hi.

After saying goodbye to everyone, Zuko waves at his uncle through the bay window of the teashop and climbs the stairs.

That evening, Zuko mentions Sokka and his friends to Iroh, but doesn’t talk about Jet. He doesn’t deserve the attention.

 

 

When Sokka stops in front of Gyatzo’s house, Aang has the best idea ever: going to the Jasmine Dragon after school with everyone one of those days. Sokka just responds with a casual but positive shrug and the evening is uneventful and calm. Unlike Sokka’s mind which wanders in all sorts of daydreams starring a lovely tea maker/pirate on the loose who blushes when Sokka looks at him.

At lunch the next day, when Sokka repeats almost word for word what Aang said, this one looks at him with an annoying knowing look. _Like you know anything, twinkletoes!_ And Zuko says they’re welcome at the teashop anytime, though he can’t sit with them on Mondays and Wednesdays because he works as a waiter those evenings.

“Oh, but these are school nights, are you ok with homework and all?”

“I’m only working from five to seven, it’s not time-consuming, really.”

It seems like Zuko needed the smile of encouragement Sokka serves him because he continues after looking at him for a second. “And I like it, also” he says while looking intensely at his plate. Sokka’s smile widens and he’s so pleased with himself he manages to put his elbow in his plate when trying to rest his head on his hand. Well it was only a matter of time before he made a fool of himself. But Zuko doesn’t call him stupid or ridiculous, he just chuckles _-Spirits, is it the first time he chuckles? It must be, I would’ve remembered it-_ and hands him a towel with a reserved smile. 

Everything goes well, they even have their lessons in the same part of the building so Sokka can continue babbling nonsense about gravity and speed, until _Jet_ comes their way. That jerk is not as much of a jerk to Sokka as usual, so not enough a jerk for Zuko to notice, but still enough for _Sokka_ to notice. He’s a real jerk. And that jerk _flirts_ with Zuko. And Spirits, Sokka doesn’t stand chance if Jet is going into flirting mode. He’s lured people like _Katara_ in that game for fuck’s sake. So he looks at Zuko with resignation but what he finds isn’t what he expected. Zuko keeps a cordial but faraway look on Jet, like he’s seeing him from a much more… global point of view or something.

If Jet is annoyed by that, he doesn’t show it. He even leaves with a wink at Zuko and his usual crooked smile. Sokka is still baffled by all of this. No one resists the charms of Jet. When Jet has a target, all they can do is becoming starry eyed whenever Jet talks to them and hang on to every single one of his words. And the thing is, Sokka and his friends know that he’s a jerk, the whole school knows that he’s a jerk. Katara knew he was a jerk _before_ falling for him last year. Even-

“Do you also finish at four thirty today?”

Zuko is looking at him with the cutest shy, blushed face Sokka had ever seen and, _Spirits_ , Sokka had not noticed the colour of his eyes before now. They’re such a clear and bright nutbrown that they’re almost honey-like. In this light he has amber eyes, like lions have. 

“I’m finishing at three thirty but I’m waiting for Suki and the others anyway, so I get out of here at four thirty too… Do you want a ride?” He makes sure the implication doesn’t go unnoticed by smirking slightly and it seems to work because Zuko blushes again and smiles while nipping at his lips a little for a second. Zuko says yes and Sokka says he’ll be on the parking lot with straps for Zuko’s bike. 

That evening when they drop Zuko home he invites them all to the teashop Friday after school. 

“I mean if… you all want to, it’s not an obligation, I mean…” Wow, he’s babbling now. Sokka thought he would be the only one babbling among the two of them.

Katara comes to the rescue “We’ll all be happy to come, Zuko, see you tomorrow!”

“Yeah see you!” Sokka waves and tries to grin his widest smile to reassure him, and they’re on the road again. Aang asks Katara to text Suki and Toph to tell them they’re all going to have some tea after school this Friday.

 

On Thursday afternoon Sokka doesn’t have any classes but stays at the library as he still has to drive everyone home. It’s actually a good thing because he can get ahead in his homework, and if he’s too tired he’ll just read a book or something. _Wow, I’m really becoming someone serious, now… Is it depressing or not?_

During break time he goes to Katara’s classroom to walk with her to her next lesson. Turns out, he needs human contact after two hours of working on physics problems. When he finds her she’s arguing with some girl about ethics and it’s a little heated so Sokka just waits a few seconds before intruding. When she notices him she just rushes to end the conversation and goes towards Sokka. “I’m already done with the people in my class! I can’t believe it, it’s been less than four days!”

Sokka chuckles “I feel you, comrade!”

“Seriously what the _fuck_ is wrong with you and your random shit every time you talk to me?”

“I feel suddenly and _unjustifiably_ attacked right now, Katara, why would you hurt me this way?” He grins at her, then looks ahead of him in the corridor. 

A certain pirate is walking just ten meters ahead of them. He’s about to call him when someone hustles him from behind. Sokka almost tumbles down because of… _Great_. Jet turns and says a ‘sorry’ that doesn’t sound sorry at all before turning around again towards Zuko. He doesn’t call him. Instead he walks until he’s just behind him and goes to ruffle Zuko’s hair. _Spirits, are they already that close?_ But as soon as Jet’s hand is on his head, Zuko freezes, grabs Jet’s wrist, twisting it while turning around himself then violently shoves Jet face against the wall, arm twisted behind him. This goes so incredibly fast that Sokka just stands here stupidly with his mouth gaping, and when he moves again and looks at Katara she seems equally baffled at what just happened. 

As soon as Zuko sees who it is, he releases Jet immediately, apologizing at least four times in a row.

“… Again I’m very sorry for my reaction, Jet, but please don’t grab me by surprise like that, I’m sorry, did I hurt you or anything?”

“Oh don’t worry, Zuko, you didn’t hurt me in any way.” He has a dangerous glint in his eyes when he says that. Or is Sokka imagining it? “I’ll remember it next time, you don’t have to worry.” He has that smooth way of talking but his eyes are always off-key with his character. They’re cold. At least for a split second after saying that last phrase.

Jet goes away after that and Sokka is so bewildered, eyes fixed on the spot he just left, that he doesn’t immediately notices the lack of colour on Zuko’s face. Zuko is looking at the end of the corridor where Jet just disappeared, and suddenly moves, running to the bathroom. Sokka is just standing here until a few seconds pass, but briskly remembers how to walk and does it to reach the bathroom. Katara follows him but when they’re in front of the bathroom door she tells him she has to go to her next lesson. _Great, I’m gonna be alone for the cheering up part, is that it?_ She serves him an apologetic smile and leaves. Sokka hasn’t opened the door yet and he… he hears someone… _Spirits, is he throwing up?_ Sokka opens the door as quietly as he can, looking around. There’s no one and there’s only one cubicle closed. The one furthest away from the door. And Zuko is _clearly_ throwing up. _What happened?_

Without thinking, Sokka takes some paper towels beside the sinks and comes to sit on the bathroom floor in front of the cubicle door. 

“Zuko? It’s Sokka, are you okay?” He tries to talk very softly and _of course he’s not okay, he’s puking, for fuck’s sake!_

Zuko is not answering, but the throwing up has stopped for now, leaving place to an unsettling heavy breathing interrupted by sporadic choking noises. 

Sokka wants to be a mouse right now. He actually feels so little he could be one but he’s not going to flee. He’s not that kind of friend. 

“Do you want some paper towels?” he slips them under the cubicle door, a lump in his throat, and Zuko’s hand timidly takes them. 

The choking sounds are spacing now. It’s been maybe ten minutes when Zuko opens the door in a slit. His eye is injected with red. Sokka digs in his backpack to find his thermos and a cereal bar. He takes his thermos and looks at Zuko again. “Do you want some water? Or coffee?” A sniff, then Zuko opens the door a little more so Sokka can see his whole face. He looks like shit. _What the fuck actually happened in this corridor?_ Sokka unscrews the lid of the thermos -which is also a cup, would you believe that?- and waits for Zuko to answer.

Zuko is looking at anything but Sokka’s eyes and it’s pretty depressing because he looks like a wounded wild animal. Maybe he doesn’t trust his voice to be steady right now.

“Maybe water would be better, people are usually dehydrated after throwing up…” Sokka stands up to fill the cup at the sink and comes back to Zuko, holding it for him to take. Zuko looks at the cup and then manages to look at Sokka in the eyes before taking it.

He takes a gulp and spits it in the toilet bowl before drinking the rest of it. Then he whispers, still not looking at Sokka “thank you…”

After two other cups, Sokka asks if Zuko can stand and takes him to the nurse. Zuko’s breaths are still shallow and ragged, and his face is still greenish but he nods, wiping his face with his sleeve. Sokka offers his arm for Zuko to stand up. And after the nurse orders for Zuko to go home, Sokka offers to drive him, shouldering his bag. Zuko seems to make a great lot of effort to smile at him with his bloodless face. _Fuck, it’s a disturbing contrast with the usual ‘blushing every two minutes’ Zuko._

On the way back to the teashop, Zuko is looking straight ahead at a faraway point on the road, crossed arms on his knees, feet on the edge of the front seat. Sokka doesn’t have the nerve to talk but puts on some soothing music. Well, he finds 60’s rock’n’roll soothing and hopes it works on Zuko too. Though the worried glances he throws at Zuko from time to time are probably not helping for the soothing part.

When they get out of the car in front of the Jasmine Dragon, Sokka offers his arm again and scans the inside of the shop to see if there’s someone who looks like Zuko but older. He meets some potbellied old man’s eyes who must be Zuko’s uncle because he hurriedly puts down the kettle he was handling and rushes outside to meet them.

“I’m okay, don’t worry, I’m okay, uncle…” He says that but his voice is almost inaudible. 

“I think you need some rest, Zuko, we’ll talk about it later. Your friend and I are going to get you to bed.” He gives Sokka a trusting look and takes Zuko’s arm over his shoulder before opening the gate and climbing the stairs with Zuko leaning heavily on him. Sokka takes Zuko’s bag on his shoulder and follows them. 

Upstairs the man carries Zuko into his room and Sokka doesn’t dare making more than a step inside. He places the bag at the foot of a chair which looks like it’s long lost its initial function because it’s covered with at least five coats and even more scarves. He doesn’t even close the door. Zuko and his uncle’s apartment looks tiny but warm. He can’t see the door of Zuko’s room from where he’s standing but the room must be behind the wall on his left. On his right there’s a window that opens on a little garden below with tables and chairs. _That must be part of the teashop_. Through that window he can also see that there’s a little terrace on this floor. In front of him there’s a low dinner table with four cushions and behind it, on the wall opposite Sokka, there’s a little kitchen with a two-burner stove and a little sink but no worktop. There’s a closed door on the left of the kitchen and another door to the left of the other one that opens on a room - _must be Zuko’s uncle’s room_. The light in this apartment is really soothing. Seems like the light in this main room comes only from the side of the small building that’s not on the street side. There are potted plants hanging from the window frame and the ceiling. _Do they belong to Zuko?_

The old man quietly closes a door and comes into Sokka’s sight again.

“How do you like your tea, young man?”

 

 

The smell is horrible. It’s acrid and it’s inescapable. And it’s coming from him. He has to escape. If he stays he’s just going to die. The fire has consumed all the flesh and it’s attacking the bone right now. Why can’t he escape? Why can’t he just remove his head? Why can’t he move? 

His eyes, are they open? He can’t see a thing. He can’t feel his body. Just the left side of his face. No, it’s the opposite. The left side of his face doesn’t exist anymore. He tries to touch it but his hand reaches nothing. He doesn’t have a face.

He’s abruptly pulled from sleep by a scream. He briskly sits up, sweating, and the screaming stops. His throat aches. He reaches his face with both hands. It’s here.  
“Zuko? Did you have a nightmare?” Uncle seems drowsy yet alarmed.

Zuko’s hands slowly fall on his lap. “My face… it was… consumed.” He’s feeling sick again. He can only whisper. “Completely.”

“Let’s go to the kitchen, Zuko.” 

Uncle makes him an infusion with verbena, hawthorn and three full spoons of honey. Zuko’s back slowly loosens and he drinks each sip with caution, eyeing his uncle from time to time. 

“Your friend Sokka seems really nice. It was caring of him to bring you back home.”

Zuko doesn’t respond at first, instead stirring his infusion. Sokka found him in the bathroom, gave him something to wipe his mouth, something to drink, took him to the nurse and drove him home. And he was also carrying his backpack. “Yeah, he’s like that.” And he didn’t ask anything except if Zuko was okay. 

“Do you want to eat something? I saved ramen soup for you. From Gin’s two streets away. Do you want some?” 

Zuko nodded and his late dinner was punctuated by uncle telling him about the crazy clients of the day before. Sometimes Zuko thinks maybe uncle is just making them up to cheer him on that kind of nights. _Well it works._

After he’s finished with the soup, he tells his uncle to go back to bed, and he’ll do the same. Lying in bed though he feels like he should do something before going back to sleep. _What? What is it?_

Sokka. Maybe he should do something to thank him. _But what?_

After a quick look around his room, his eyes focus on the origami paper on his desk and he decides to make a butterfly. He’ll give it to him tomorrow.

 

_This is such a bad idea. It’s so lame! A fucking paper butterfly! What were you thinking?_

His stomach is aching from thinking about it the whole ride to school. But he’s already in the classroom with the thing in his hand and he has no backup ‘thank you’ present for Sokka. So it’s gonna have to do.

_Don’t think, just give it to him._

He sits without a word and puts the butterfly in front of him on the table, then pushes it towards Sokka with his finger. He risks a glance at Sokka’a eyes. He has a very… soft smile and his head is tilted on the side. Zuko swallows his ridiculousness away before opening his mouth “It’s for you. Thanks for bringing me home yesterday.” Sokka looks at the butterfly, carefully takes it with two fingers and examines it. And… _Is it me? Have I contaminated him?_ Sokka blushes, _hard._

“It’s beautiful! I’ll keep it.” The blush doesn’t go away and _fuck_ , now it’s gonna make Zuko blush too, that’s just _perfect_. “And for yesterday, don’t worry, it was nothing, really, I mean…”

Zuko cuts him “No it wasn’t.” And he throws Sokka a categorical look to end this conversation. _Maybe that tone was a little harsh…_ Sokka just smiles again. “Thank you, I really like it. Where did you learn to do that?” 

“My uncle taught me. I know how to do other animals too.” 

“Oh yeah? And if it’s not, um, intrusive, why did you choose to make a butterfly?”

 _Spirits_ , Sokka can blush just as crimson as Zuko, it seems. Which _makes_ Zuko go crimson, actually.

“Um… I haven’t really thought about it. It just… was an idea that came like that.”

The lesson starts and Sokka keeps his reddened cheeks all the way through, sometimes absentmindedly playing with the paper bug. 

 

When everyone’s in the car, Sokka says “So? En route to the Jasmine Dragon?” and Zuko nods while the others yay their enthusiasm and _Fuck I didn’t tell uncle I invited everyone!_ A text later it’s arranged that they’ll go upstairs because the teashop is a little crowded already.

 _Click._ The gate opens and Zuko has a weird feeling right now. Five other people are just about to enter his realm. A shuddered breath later his foot is on the last step of the stairs and he looks at his hands fiddling with his keys, then glances nervously at the others. They’re not as stressed out as him apparently. Suki and Toph are discussing something so they’re not looking at him, Aang is fascinated by the plants suspended to the porch, and the siblings are bickering about their hair, or something. 

_The only person who thinks it’s a big deal is you, the others don’t have to know and they won’t know it if you’re not showing it’s a big deal._ So he relaxes his shoulders and opens the door.

“Just, um, put your shoes here, beside the chair, um, and you can put your bag too if you want. I’ll try to find two other cushions for the table, you can, you know, sit down if you want...” The spare ones are in uncles’ room if he remembers correctly. 

He flees and opens uncle’s closet. They must be on the upper shelves.

Coming back to the living room with the cushions under his arm he gives one to Sokka. The four other cushions are already occupied by the others. They don’t seem uncomfortable, that’s a good start. 

Katara smiles at him after looking around “Your apartment is really cool, Zuko, I really like all the plants hanging everywhere! Looks like a little jungle!”

Toph looked uncomfortable for a second. “Whoah, is there a chance I bang my head with one of your flying flower pot? I don’t wanna be beaten by a fucking plant!”

Sokka chuckles “The chances are zero considering your height, Toph.”

A punch on the arm and Sokka was giggling even harder. 

“Oh, is this one mint?” Aang was pointing the pot just above Zuko’s head.

“Yeah, it is. Do you guys want some green tea with mint? I won’t take it directly on this but the dried one I have is from here too.” There’s a collective assent and the kettle is turned on.

He’ll never tell his uncle but Zuko _loves_ brewing tea. When it’s for him he takes the time to consider his state of mind at the moment and chooses his ingredients according to it. They have a large variety of dried flowers, leaves and roots in a big case on top of the fridge.

Today, it’ll be gunpowder tea with mint. Zuko hesitates to add something else but doesn’t in the end. _Better to start with a classic._

The conversation unfolds with ease. Zuko learns that Toph is boxing, and is not really surprised. Aang and Katara talk a little about their theatre thing, and Suki asks Sokka if they’re riding this Sunday. It turns out Suki and Sokka have skater friends and they’re meeting each other to train every Sunday. _Fuck, I stumbled across people much, much cooler than me._ Zuko can feel the redness of his cheeks right now. 

“Would you like to try longboard, Zuko? I could lend you a board this Sunday, if you wanted…” Sokka’s scratching his neck saying this and it’s adorable. 

 

After they’re gone, Zuko feels like he’s floating somewhere above the town. It was so cool to have people over! Exhausting, but cool! He’d like to do it again sometime. Plus, Sokka invited him to his skating thing on Sunday morning. 

This week wasn’t a total disaster after all.


End file.
